City officials anxiously kept their eyes on the potential gridlock Monday morning.

“This allows us to do active traffic management. So if they see something they can talk to the emergency first responders, police, fire, EMS. They can reroute traffic and they can changer signal timings,” Director of Transportation Services Mike Formby said.

Officials have advised folks to use buses or possibly carpool, something KHON2 found more than a few people doing.

“Well, my son goes to St. Louis and I didn’t want to have two cars driving to the same place basically. So we ride together and then I will ride the bus home after school,” Ewa Beach resident Stephanie Stubblefield said.

Stubblefield wasn’t the only student who hopped in a car with friends.

“It’s just less time since you don’t have to stop at each stop. And it’s like, it’s more entertaining because you get to mingle with friends, catch up while you’re driving. So, time flies,” Wahiawa resident Tony Valdez said.

“I feel like it’s easier because I hate catching the bus. And I think with carpooling, I get to wake up a little later than usual when I catch the bus. I just really hate catching the bus,” Wahiawa resident Stephanie Bautista said.

And carpooling can speed up one’s commute time.

“And time because we get to ride in the express lane when there is more of us, than if I was to drive by myself,” Stubblefield said.

It appears people are getting the message, which is a unified one between the city and state.

“Absolutely we have gotten better. This year we have the Go Akamai website, it’s goakamai.org. And if the commuters want before they get on the road they can look at real-time traffic congestion, and they can look at alternative routes,” Formby said.

Formby also is quick to tell folks don’t let your guard down just because day one went relatively pain-free.